mixing topamax and marijuana?

Topic:

Hi, I was recently diagnosed with epilepsy. I was having these weird “episodes” which now my doctors are referring to as absence seizures, or aura’s. (They aren’t really sure what they are.) Then back in December I had a grand mal. We decided not to go on medicine because I was having a rathke’s cyst removed (type of brain tumor) We knew it was a long shot but we were hoping that could be causing the seizures . Then Two days before my surgery in February I had another grand mal. They put me on medicine while I was still at the hospital. Something I was not very happy about but am dealing with. Now it has been three months and I have been controlled on 100 mg of Topirimate. (Topamax) But,I have been really stressed about everything and have got most things figured out. However, there is one thing I am unclear of, I use to smoke marijuana kind of a lot. I did all the way up until February when they stuck me on medicine. Now, I have tried to talk to my doctor but she won’t answer my questions, she said she “doesn’t know” and what I have found on the internet isn’t consistent. Some things say you can, but others say no way.

So my question is has anyone ever smoked marijuana on topamax/topiramate? What was your dosage and what was your experience?

I just don’t want to do anything that is going to potentially hurt me or set me back, but I do want to go back to it. So please if you know anything let me know, thanks so much.

Comments

I recently had a bad experience smoking herb on KeppraXR, and my one piece of advice would be... START SLOW!

I have smoked hash (strong hash) for years, and about two weeks ago, I quit. Apparently, the theory is, I got epilepsy from a head trauma when I was 15, and have been self medicating with herb for twenty years, and when I quit suddenly, I induced a seizure.

I was brought to the ER by my neighbor, where I was prescribed KeppraXR. I went home, and FORGOT that I had quit smoking, and took a bong hit on keppra. It was by far the worst experience I have ever been through. I can now smoke again, and for that I am grateful, but I would definitely recommend starting off carefully, if you are mixing it with ANY other meds.

I hope I was helpful, and I hope I have not offended anyone else on these forums with my words and views.

Hiii, i was on Tegretol and used to smoke weed. The only thing i found was i would have more seziure's (i have complex partial sezuires). Anyways it's kind of like if you have a drink your more prone to have a sezuire.

I am now about to start topomax, and im still going to have a smoke when i feel like it. Ive also done some research on it, and from what ive read it doesnt seem to harm or effect people with epilepsy..it will most likely cause you to have a seziure. My seziure's arnt bad, they arnt grand mal seziure's but my neuro thinks that i will most likely get one whilst i change over meds. So ill be keeping off it for awhile lol.

But seriously? As if your doctor is guna tell you about the effects weed will have on an epileptic lol. I tried and my GP just told me off. So i say have a smoke...see how you go. Just dont smoke much. Trial and error.

Thanks for writing in and sorry to hear of your experiences! The information on marijuana is unclear for many. Some people definitely have a worsening of seizures, others don't. It is hard to find reliable information on the internet about it. It's helpful to print off the information you find and show it to your doctor. He or she can help you decide how reliable the information may be and how to interpret the information. It's important for people to be careful and monitor how they feel whenever they start a new medicine, herbal product, supplement or other substance and make sure the doctor knows about it. That way people can really work together with their doctor in an informed way.

I have epilepsy. I was diagnosed around 7 months ago. I had a large tumor on the left side of my brain. The tumor was benign and fully removed. I was told my recovery would be very long but I was up a going within 2 weeks after the surgery. Now when I say up and going I mean I was able to walk, talk, and watch tv. Since the surgery I have a very high level of emotional stress. I take 1500 mg of Keppra. I smoke pot. I started smoking it again about 4 months after my surgery and since then I smoke everyday. I have never had any side effects with the combination of pot and seizure meds. It actually helps me with the stress I now have from the surgery. I would start out slow and go from there. Hope this helps. :)

I was a pot smoker for about 20 years or so while i was taking things like tegretol and lamictal. A year ago my Dr. put me on topamax and my craving for pot went away. A few months ago, i decided to try smoking anyway. I didn't seem to feel right at all when I got high. I was kinda paranoid. I had NEVER been that way before. Felt kind of sick and dizzy, and did end up having a seizure the next day. (mine are petit mal if i have) Also, congrats on your operation. I too had a benign brain tumor removed from left side of brain. I was 16. I'm 38 now. Everything was fine. I was out of hospital in 5 days... Good luck.... :)

I'm on Trileptal and Lamictal (huge doses) and was recently on Vimpat
for a while. I found both THC and Vimpat seem to have a potentiating
effect on Lamictal (THC immediate, Vimpat delayed). Which makes sense
for Vimpat because it's supposed to be an adjunctive medication to
Lamictal. (THC isn't marketed that way at all.) There is an annoying
side effect which appears to be from Lamictal: partial paralysis of the
eye muscles lasting about an hour, forcing you to sit down and wait for
an hour until the room stops spinning.

I was convinced that
Vimpat was causing this alone, because I
could usually at least sense it a little after taking Vimpat (even if I
wasn't totally dizzy, a faint weirdly-dizzy feeling took effect 90-120
minutes later, which became easy to recognize). One morning I
spaced on the Vimpat and didn't take it until I got to work, but the
dizzy feeling became noticeable anyway, after the Lamictal dose. So
Lamictal is at least one culprit in the eye-muscle dizziness. It's hard
to figure out though because Lamictal and Vimpat have 25 and 13 hour
half lives.

Normally THC doesn't seem to cause any problem, but when the dizziness
is happening, THC can exacerbate it immensely, to the point where I've
had to hold onto furniture to keep from crashing onto the floor.
(Vimpat+Lamictal can do this too without the help of THC.) This isn't a
big deal usually since THC has a brief half life and titrating the dose
of a smoked drug is easy. So you have to lay off it for a few hours.

I have also been recently prescribed topamax (50mg) which i know is the lowest does, but i have been on Keppra (1500mg) for about 4 years now. My doctor prescribed topamax (in addition to my keppra) to help with the headaches i have been having everyday for a while now. I have been smoking medical grade marijuana for more than a year now and haven't had any problems smoking on the keppra. I have read some crazy horror stories about people smoking on topamax. I was thinking about smoking a little bit, but i don't want to risk anything. Marijuana has helped a lot with the side effects of keppra, (mood swings, headaches etc.) plus it helps with all my stress. Let me know if you try smoking on topamax or if anyone has had any issues with it. Thanks.

I have a Topamax question. I have never been on Topamax. My ex had been put on it for epilepsy, and a freind had been given it for a pinched nerve. Both had turned in to zombies. You couldn't get in the same building as they, I was told. So, is this a marijuana problem or is it a Topamax problem?

Your doctor wouldn't know. She does not prescribe marijuana. If the changed, and she were able to prescribe it, she still wouldn't know. Marijuana is a drug, but it is a 'crude' drug. Being unrefined it may have x or y percent of a few known compounds, and many unknown compounds. It is hard to prescribe a mixture of some of this and part of that (so-to-speak). Also she could be sued. This is a big issue. "What, you mean you have prescribing a lot of unknowns on my client? Experimenting on people ????!! Am I ever going to sue you!! I won't send you to prison, where is were you ought to go. Out of considersion for humanity, I'll just take money instead."